Weekly Reads (06/30/17)

It's been a slow week at The Farm but today is my last work day until I have vacation for 9 glorious days so I've been trying to wrap some things up.  Last weekend Mr. Barb and I built a storage shed (a prefab one so don't think I've gone and went all construction zone on you guys) and it took awhile even though I equated it to giant Legos.  Because of that, I didn't really get much reading done.

We started watching "The Mist" on SPIKE TV and after the first 3 episodes, I think it has promise. It's a lot different than the movie though and the sheriff in it just has to go. I keep yelling for him to die.  We also rented "Twelve Feet Deep: Trapped Sisters."  It's about two sisters that get trapped beneath a pool cover for a holiday weekend and then are terrorized by a crazy woman on probation.  It was entertaining and we weren't having a lot of luck finding anything else.  I'm also binging "Riverdale" but I'll talk more about that on my Binge Watch meme I'm starting to do.

The pups are fine.  We bought them a new backyard tug toy which goes into the ground so I'm hoping to get it up this weekend.  We used to have a rope tied to a tree out past boxers would tug on but alas, that's the tree that we took down.  If Cass and T had tugged on it before we did that, I think the whole tree would have toppled - they are strong!

I finally finished "UNSUB" and got my review posted.  It actually gave me nightmares which I have't had a book do in a long time.  I can read horror book after horror book with no after effects but this involves a really sadistic serial killer and I'm pretty sure real people scare me more than monsters.  I think I'm going to pick up something light to sort of cleanse my pallet before I start in on anymore scary reads.  I also want to finish Saga Vol. 6.  Here's what the reading stack looks like.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend planned!  Please feel free to share what you are planning on reading and doing.

"UNSUB" Review - This Book Actually Gave Me Nightmares

TITLE: UNSUB (UNSUB #1)
AUTHOR: Meg Gardiner
PUBLISHER: Dutton
PUBLISHING DATE: June 27, 2017

FROM GOODREADS: A riveting psychological thriller inspired by the never-caught Zodiac Killer, about a young detective determined to apprehend the serial murderer who destroyed her family and terrorized a city twenty years earlier.

Caitlin Hendrix has been a Narcotics detective for six months when the killer at the heart of all her childhood nightmares reemerges: the Prophet. An UNSUB—what the FBI calls an unknown subject—the Prophet terrorized the Bay Area in the 1990s and nearly destroyed her father, the lead investigator on the case.

The Prophet’s cryptic messages and mind games drove Detective Mack Hendrix to the brink of madness, and Mack’s failure to solve the series of ritualized murders—eleven seemingly unconnected victims left with the ancient sign for Mercury etched into their flesh—was the final nail in the coffin for a once promising career.

Twenty years later, two bodies are found bearing the haunting signature of the Prophet. Caitlin Hendrix has never escaped the shadow of her father’s failure to protect their city. But now the ruthless madman is killing again and has set his sights on her, threatening to undermine the fragile barrier she rigidly maintains for her own protection, between relentless pursuit and dangerous obsession.

Determined to decipher his twisted messages and stop the carnage, Caitlin ignores her father’s warnings as she draws closer to the killer with each new gruesome murder. Is it a copycat, or can this really be the same Prophet who haunted her childhood? Will Caitlin avoid repeating her father’s mistakes and redeem her family name, or will chasing the Prophet drag her and everyone she loves into the depths of the abyss?

MY THOUGHTS: 
I have to be honest and admit that "UNSUB" started out as a slow read for me. As it is pretty much action-packed throughout its entirety, it's a pretty safe bet that it was me and not the book. However, once I got into the book and past the first 100 pages, the only reason I was able to put the book down was because of prior obligations.

Caitlin Hendrix spent six months as a Narcotics investigator when a suspicious murder takes place in her hometown Bay Area. The murder scene mimics that of a unsolved serial killer's from 20 years ago which drove Caitlin's father, now a retired cop, off the deep end and ruined her family. This mystery continues to haunt Caitlin and her family and when the police believe the killer may in fact be the same person, known as the Mercury killer, Caitlin is bumped to the homicide department because of her prior connections.

I really liked Caitlin. She is greatly flawed and has the potential to become overly involved in the Mercury case due to its personal connections to her family and her father's demise as an officer. She has a very supportive boyfriend who works for the Feds and is best friends with his ex-wife. That in itself threw me but the relationships in the book really seem to work. The book had me guessing and I had no idea who the Mercury killer was until the book revealed it. I have to say the ending shocked me a tad. I knew this was the start of a new series but I figured each book would be Caitlin working on new cases. However, there is definitely a twist at the end and a cliffhanger that made me definitely want more.

I've not read any of Gardiner's previous works but can see me picking up more from her in the future. I'm also now anticipating the next book in this series. If you love mysteries and psychological thrillers, I don't think you could go wrong with "UNSUB." I also need to add that this book actually gave me nightmares. I've always said humans are much more scarier that many of the monsters I read about in horror tales and this book definitely supports my opinion.

I received this book from Penguin's First to Read program in exchange for an honest review.

RATING: 4 PAWS

 

Can't Wait Wednesday (112) - Cassius Makes a Not-so-Surprised Visit!

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings to spotlight highly anticipated books.  It is based on the Waiting on Wednesday meme which used to be hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. 

Hi guys, it's Cass.  Don't worry, Mom isn't STILL in time out and a good thing, she does the weekly treat shopping so T really could have messed that up.  However, since he took over things last week, I begged Mom to let me share some new bird-book finds.  Since she loves me so much, she couldn't very well tell me no.  So here you go!

FROM GOODREADS: The thrilling sequel to S.J. Kincaid’s New York Times bestselling novel, The Diabolic that TeenVogue.com called “the perfect kind of high-pressure adventure.”

It’s a new day in the Empire. Tyrus has ascended to the throne with Nemesis by his side and now they can find a new way forward—one where they don’t have to hide or scheme or kill. One where creatures like Nemesis will be given worth and recognition, where science and information can be shared with everyone and not just the elite.

But having power isn’t the same thing as keeping it, and change isn’t always welcome. The ruling class, the Grandiloquy, has held control over planets and systems for centuries—and they are plotting to stop this teenage Emperor and Nemesis, who is considered nothing more than a creature and certainly not worthy of being Empress.

Nemesis will protect Tyrus at any cost. He is the love of her life, and they are partners in this new beginning. But she cannot protect him by being the killing machine she once was. She will have to prove the humanity that she’s found inside herself to the whole Empire—or she and Tyrus may lose more than just the throne. But if proving her humanity means that she and Tyrus must do inhuman things, is the fight worth the cost of winning it?

FROM GOODREADS: A simple but forgotten truth: Where harbingers of death appear, the morgues will soon be full.

Angie Dovage can tell there’s more to Reece Fernandez than just the tall, brooding athlete who has her classmates swooning, but she can’t imagine his presence signals a tragedy that will devastate her small town. When something supernatural tries to attack her, Angie is thrown into a battle between good and evil she never saw coming. Right in the center of it is Reece—and he’s not human.

What's more, she knows something most don't. That the secrets her town holds could kill them all. But that’s only half as dangerous as falling in love with a harbinger of death.
WHY CASSIUS CAN'T WAIT:  I think both of these covers are beautiful and I would love to see some birds that look like that around my house.  Not going to happen though, we mainly get finches and pigeons.  Mom hasn't read The Diabolic yet but she's heard good things about it and since this comes out on Halloween, I think she will most definitely have to treat herself (and me) to a Halloween present.   

WHAT BOOK CAN'T YOU WAIT FOR THIS WEEK????

Cover Reveal! - The Girl Who Saved Ghosts

The Girl Who Saved Ghosts
K.C. Tansley
(The Unbelievables, #2)
Publication date: October 17th 2017
Genres: Fantasy, Mystery, Young Adult

She tried to ignore them. Now she might risk everything to save them.
After a summer spent in a haunted castle—a summer in which she traveled through time to solve a murder mystery—Kat is looking forward to a totally normal senior year atMcTernan Academy. Then the ghost of a little girl appears and begs Kat for help, and more unquiet apparitions follow. All of them are terrified by the Dark One, and it soon becomes clear that that this evil force wants Kat dead.
Searching for help, Kat leaves school for the ancestral home she’s only just discovered. Her friend Evan, whose family is joined to her own by an arcane history, accompanies her. With the assistance of her eccentric great aunts and a loyal family ghost, Kat soon learns that she and Evan can only fix the present by traveling into the past.
As Kat and Evan make their way through nineteenth-century Vienna, the Dark One stalks them, and Kat must decide what she’s willing to sacrifice to save a ghost.

Add to Goodreads

Sequel to:

Author Bio:
K.C Tansley lives with her warrior lapdog, Emerson, and three quirky golden retrievers on a hill somewhere in Connecticut. She tends to believe in the unbelievables--spells, ghosts, time travel--and writes about them.
Never one to say no to a road trip, she's climbed the Great Wall twice, hopped on the Sound of Music tour in Salzburg, and danced the night away in the dunes of Cape Hatteras. She loves the ocean and hates the sun, which makes for interesting beach days.
The Girl Who Ignored Ghosts is her debut YA time-travel murder mystery novel. As Kourtney Heintz, she also writes award winning cross-genre fiction for adults.
If you'd like to receive exclusive bonus content on my books, subscribe to my authorupdates: http://kourtneyheintz.com/contact/

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

TTT - Best Books In 2017 So Far!

This top 10 weekly meme is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish and can be found HERE.  Each week they focus on lists which cover various topics related to books and reading. 

Today I'm sharing the best books I've read in 2017 so far.  I hope my Goodreads ratings are reflective of what I think are the best.  Let's see.....








So far I've had seven 5-star reads: 

Downward Dog: Samm Hodges
The Supernatural Pet Sitter: DianeMoat
The Most Beautiful: Mayte Garcia
Certain Dark Things: Silvia Moreno-Garcia
A Perilous Undertaking: Deanna Raybourn
Greedy Pigs: Matt Wallace
Dread & Breakfast: Stuart R. West

I've also had several 4-star reads so here are the honorable mentions:

About a Dog: Jenn McKinlay
The Money Pit: Renee George
The Marsh King's Daughter: Karen Dionne
Just Add Water: Hunter Shea
Mormama: Kit Reed

So I guess technically we have a top 12 but I just felt it was important to mention these 4-star reads because they have been some of my faves as well.

What made your list this week?

Snotgirl - At Least I Liked Her Hair (review)

TITLE: Snotgirl
AUTHOR: Bryan Lee O'Malley, Leslie Hung
PUBLISHER: Image Comics
PUBLISHING DATE: February 28, 2017

FROM GOODREADS: Who is Lottie Person?
Is she a gorgeous, fun-loving social media star with a perfect life or a gross, allergy-ridden mess? Enter a world of snot, blood, and tears in this first collection from New York Times Best Seller Bryan Lee O'Malley (Scott Pilgrim, Seconds) and dazzling newcomer Leslie Hung!

MY THOUGHTS: 
I'd heard a few good things about this on Booktube and was thrilled to see it at my local library recently so of course I grabbed it. Now, even after I've finished it, I'm still not sure what I read. Lottie is a fashion blogger whose life revolves around the latest styles, being popular and trying to find a friend who is as perfect as her. She just lost her boyfriend who is now dating her ex-intern, (whom she really doesn't remember) when she meets the girl she thinks is her perfect friend. This girl is beautiful and also has a fashion blog. Lottie has severe allergies (thus the Snotgirl nickname) and a new doctor puts her on experimental drugs. Early on, something happens and Lottie believes she has accidentally killed her new best friend and I'll be honest, I can't tell if she did or not. Yet even dead, this new girl is a better person than Lottie will ever be.

I know graphic novels are often the compilations of the several comic book issues so they may switch gears between issues. However, this one randomly switched gears throughout the entire book which made things extra confusing. Also, I didn't like Snotgirl. She does have really gorgeous green hair but that's about it. She insists on nicknaming everyone and I pretty much think her real nickname should be "bitchgirl" because she is mean, self-centered and superficial.

I might pick up the next volume if my library decides to get it just to see what happens to the perfect friend or perhaps to see what horrible things happen to Snotgirl. Personally I'm wishing for "Snotgirl Goes to Prison."

RATING: 2 PAWS

 

Stacking the Shelves (116) / Sunday Post

Stacking the Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves or TBR piles, may it be physical or virtual.  This means you can include books you buy in a physical store, online, books you borrow from the library or friends, review books, gifts and of course, ebooks! The original meme was started over at Tynga's Reviews. And it now has a new co-host where individuals can link up as well - Marlene from Reading Reality.  Clicking on the book (or title) should take you to the Goodreads page.  I'm also now linking up with the Sunday Post which is hosted by Kimberly@Caffeinated Book Reviewer. I'm hoping to discover some new blogs to love.

First up this week is a physical book I ordered as a "reward" for my first week without soda.  I found it at Abe Books for $3.00 and free shipping so I'm thinking that may say something about how good/bad this book is. I have heard mixed reviews but my library hasn't gotten it yet and I'm pretty curious.  It even arrived in good shape,

Next I grabbed some freebies and a few paid for books from Amazon. "Girl with the Clockwork Cat," "Mutts Like Me," "Wicker Hollow," and "Paper Scissors Death" were all free. I pre-ordered "Asylum" for $2.99 and it finally arrived and another blogger recommended "Good Guys Love Dogs" and it must have been at a weak moment because I immediately went and purchased it.

Finally I received the following for review.  I loved "The Demonists" and am thrilled to have the second in that series, "Dark Exodus."  I honestly don't remember requested "Reincarnation Blues" but apparently I did.  Finally, I couldn't resist "Little One" - bring on the horror!  Plus it's a WV writer and the book includes a WV location.

What did you add to your shelves this week and have you read any of these?  Which ones should I read first???

Weekly Reads (06/22/2017)

Nothing really outstanding has happened at The Farm this week and I guess that's a good thing.  Mr. Barb was off three days because he had to work the weekend and then he got some obscure holiday on Tuesday that most others didn't so it was nice having him at home even though I had to work - the boys sure loved it.  I planted the flower garden/dog memorial on Sunday while he was working and about did myself in with the heat.  I survive though and it's almost done so I'll try to post pics soon.

We watched a few movies.  First up was "LIFE,"  I actually thought it was pretty good even if it did give me an Alien vibe.  It had some good stars and it's worth watching just to see what havoc Calvin the alien wrecks.  Then we watched "Man Vs." on Prime.  It didn't cost us anything extra so the fact that it was watchable was a good thing in and of itself (I never have much luck with Prime movies). It's a horror/alien take on the who survival show fad.

Guess what we found at the store Tuesday????  ZIMA!  Does anyone else remember this from the 90's?  I'd heard they were bringing it back for a limited run and since I always loved it and have admittedly said a few times I wish it was still around, I'm thrilled to be able to find it again.

I managed to start a few books this week and I hope to get some quality reading time in over the weekend.  Here's what's up on the stack.  I've just stared "Unsub" but as you can see, I have lofty plans for the next seven days.

Finally, as you read this, hopefully my pre-order will arrive as expected and I will be jamming out on this all day and evening.  There's even a concert DVD for when I want to wind down.

 PURPLE RAIN DELUX (3CDs/1DVD)

Hope everyone has a wonderful week ahead of them and those in the path of this weekend's storms - stay safe!

Rise of the Sea Witch Blog Tour

Rise of the Sea Witch
Stacey Rourke
Publication date: June 19th 2017
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Details of the sea witch’s banishment have been exaggerated. The body count that preempted it was not. Once an illustrious princess, her hands and tentacles were stained with the blood of thousands. No one could comprehend how the hooks of madness dragged her down from her life of privilege.

Born Princess Vanessa of Atlantica, the ambitious young royal was one of two children born to the great King Poseidon. She and her brother, Triton, were groomed from birth to rule. Yet only one would ascend that coveted throne. While carefree Triton flits through his training with a cavalier demeanor and beguiling charm, Vanessa’s hunger for her father’s acceptance drives her to push herself to the limits of magic, and combat to become a leader worthy of her people.

When war against the humans ravages their once regal kingdom, political sides are chosen. Factions from the seven seas challenge the existing leadership, pitting Vanessa against her brother in a vicious battle for the crown. Traitors are exposed, darkfamily secrets revealed, and a once strong sibling bond is strained to its breaking point.

Only when the ink black waters from the ultimate betrayal rescind, will the truth be known of how the villainous sea witch rose with one name on her vengeful lips–Triton.

Goodreads / Amazon

MY THOUGHTS

I need to start out by saying that I've never watched Disney's "Little Mermaid" so while the book is a retelling it was somewhat more original to me. However, I can appreciate the hard work Rourke out into fleshing out the origins of this popular tale and it's one I thoroughly enjoyed and which will be counted among my favorites for some time to come.

Princess Vanessa (who eventually morphs into the Ursula people either love or hate) has spent her whole life wanting to be named as father Poseidon's successor to the land of Atlantica. Her mother died when she was fairly young and try as she might, Nessa has never been able to obtain the love and respect from her father. She feels like an outsider in her own family all except for her brother Triton. Their relationship is like many other siblings where they jab at each other from time to time but ultimately love each other and would do anything which is possible for each other. Throughout the course of the book Nessa makes attempt after attempt to do the right thing in the kingdom and is basically let down by everyone around her. This leads to her transformation into Ursula the sea witch and all I can say is I can't really blame her.

Rourke weaves a thrilling tale within a beautiful setting. The vivid descriptions of Atlantica and its inhabitants are an added bonus to the tale of love, loyalty and deception told on the pages. For any clue on what you might be in store for, just look at the lovely cover! The story is told from Nessa's POV and let me add that girl has lots of spunk and a beautifully snarky attitude. My favorite characters in the whole book though were Nessa's pet zebra sharks, Flotteson and Jetteson. These vicious creatures were the perfect loyal companion to Nessa and stand beside her through thick and thin. Heck, Rourke even made me feel sorry for the Kraken (of course I tend to love anything with tentacles anyway).

If you like books about villains or mermaid tales, this one definitely has to go on your TRB. I received this book from XPresso book tours in exchange for an honest review.

Author Bio:
RONE Award Winner for Best YA Paranormal Work of 2012 for Embrace, a Gryphon Series Novel

Young Adult and Teen Reader voted Author of the Year 2012

Turning Pages Magazine Winner for Best YA book of 2013 & Best Teen Book of 2013

Readers’ Favorite Silver Medal Winner for Crane 2015

Stacey Rourke is the author of the award winning YA Gryphon Series, the chillingly suspenseful Legends Saga, and the romantic comedy Reel Romance Series. She lives in Michigan with her husband, two beautiful daughters, and two giant dogs. She loves totravel, has an unhealthy shoe addiction, and considers herself blessed to make a careerout of talking to the imaginary people that live in her head.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

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Two Bloggers One Book - Just Add Water (and a special guest to boot!)

This past month Stormi and I chose to buddy read the new book by Hunter Shea "Just Add Water."  It was pretty much a no-brainer since our very first buddy read was Shea's "The Jersey Devil."  I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I'm pretty sure Stormi did as well.  So after you read my review, make sure to hop over to her blog Books Movies Reviews, Oh My! and check out her thoughts.  And as a special treat, we are both welcoming Hunter Shea to our blogs today so make sure you check out his fun-filled interview.

TITLE: Just Add Water (Mail Order Massacres #1)
AUTHOR: Hunter Shea
PUBLISHER: Lyrical Underground
PUBLISHING DATE: June 13, 2017

FROM GOODREADS:  
GROW AMAZING LIVE SEA SERPENTS!

It’s fun! It’s easy! They only cost a measly dollar. Just clip out the ad in your comic book. Then ask Mom to mail it in. A few weeks later, receive a packet of instant Sea Serpent dust. Then:

Just add water . . . and watch them grow!

WHAT COULD GO WRONG?

Just ask David and Patrick. Their “instant pets” are instant duds. They don’t hatch, they don’t grow, they don’t do anything. So they dump them into the sewer where Dad pours toxic chemicals . . .

WAIT UNTIL FEEDING TIME.

It’s been years since David and Patrick thought about those Sea Serpents. But now, small animals are disappearing in the neighborhood. Strange slimy creatures are rising from the sewers. And once the screaming starts, David and Patrick realize that their childhood pets really did come to life. With a vengeance. They’re enormous . . . and have a ravenous hunger for human flesh . . .

MY THOUGHTS: 
Hunter Shea is quickly becoming one of my "must read everything he writes" authors which is saying a lot because he is sharing space with some of my favorites such as Stephen King, Joe Hill and Stuart West. I feel "Just Add Water" is best compared to a B-movie horror-fest and I mean that in the best way possible. It's the kind of book you should grab up when you want to escape reality for a while and enjoy some blood, gore and a tad bit of humor all at the same time.

David and Patrick are two comic-obsessed kids who place an order out of an ad in the back of a "Wonder Woman" comic for some amazing sea monkeys. When they arrive, they secretly house them in a garage but when they don't start growing as expected and smell horrific to boot, they flush them down the commode. Flash forward a few years and pets are mysteriously turning up all over the city and in an attempt to help locate them, and maybe more importantly earn some reward money for more comic books, the two discover they may not have seen the last of the nasty smelling sea monkey goo.

The action in "Just Add Water" is pretty much non-stop and it's a book I devoured within the course of 24 hours. I hated to put it down and only did so because life got in the way. I loved the group of kids who work together to take down the sea monkeys and I even loved the gore Shea infused into the tale. And while not a children's book in any fashion, these kids actually have parents - although in some cases I use that term loosely. Oh and I can't forget - let's say I'll never look at wasabi the same way again. If you are a fan of Shea's or just looking for some new horror to try out, I can't stress enough that you should immediately seek out a copy of "Just Add Water" and settle in for some good old-fashioned, gory fun. The next in this series, "Optical Delusion" comes out in August and a wonderful glorious ARC is already waiting for me on my Kindle.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

RATING: 4 PAWS

 

EVERYONE, PLEASE WELCOME HUNTER TO THE FARM!!!

Hunter Shea is the product of a misspent childhood watching scary movies, reading forbidden books and wishing Bigfoot would walk past his house. He doesn’t just write about the paranormal – he actively seeks out the things that scare the hell out of people and experiences them for himself. Hunter’s novels can even be found on display at the International Cryptozoology Museum. His video podcast, Monster Men, is one of the most watched horror podcasts in the world. He’s a bestselling author of over 13 (lucky number!) books, all of them written with the express desire to quicken heartbeats and make spines tingle. Living with his wonderful family and two cats, he’s happy to be close enough to New York City to gobble down Gray’s Papaya hotdogs when the craving hits.

STORMI: What made you decide to do a series based on the wall ads in comic books? And speaking of comic books, are you a big fan.  What is your favorite?

HUNTER: My editor came to me one day with this idea about killer sea monkeys.  I thought he was drunk or kidding or both.  Since we're both slightly insane, we kept talking about it until we had the arc for a full story.  I then suggested that we do at least three so we could cover a few of our favorite mail order ripoffs that we wanted as kids.  We were both huge comic book geeks...and still are, to some degree.  My favorite is Captain America.  So much so, that I have a tattoo of his shield on my arm.  I got it many years ago, before Cap was suddenly so damn cool.

BARB: Stormi and I both loved "Just Add Water" and know a second book is in the works.  What are your plans for this series and will there be more than two?

HUNTER: Oh, thank you so much.  Yes, there are three in the series.  The second is called "Optical Delusion" about a pair of X-ray specs gone horribly wrong.  The last, "Money Back Guarantee" is about those cardboard nuclear subs you could order from the comics.  This time around, mom isn't happy at all that she was ripped off.  Someone's gonna pay...big time!

 

STORMI: You tend to favor the horror genre.  What is that and who are some of your favorite authors and books in the genre?

HUNTER:  I grew up as a horror kid, thanks to my father.  He took me to every horror movie that came out in the 70s when I was just a wee tyke.  The reason he did it is because I wasn't scared.  I loved them all, even The Exorcist!  I started reading Stephen King and HP Lovecraft when I was about 9 and haven't stopped.  Robert McCammon is one of my favorite all time writers.  I worship Boy's Life and Swan Song.  There are so many authors I devour.  It would take all day to name them all.

BARB: What question have you always wanted someone to ask you and of course, please provide the answer.

HUNTER: Hmmm.  How about, do you think Shania Twain will ever fall in love with you? Now, I understand that we're both happily married, but given the chance, I could charm my way into her heart.  At least that's what I tell myself.  And yes, some horror writers like to rock out to Man, I Feel Like a Woman.

BARB: Booker T, my co-blogger, always likes to ask a question of visiting authors so here goes.

BOOKER T: There's a German Shepard in the book and all I'll say is that if it had been a boxer, totally different outcome.  Do you have any 4-legged friend that help (or hinder) your writing process?  Also, and here's a serious one...next president - Cat or Dog?

HUNTER: I have two cats, Iris and Salem.  Iris is 9 and a typical lazy cat who will scratch your ankles every chance she gets.  Salem is a 3 year old black cat that is more like a big lovable dog.  He's my favorite and can be a hindrance to writing because he likes to walk on the keyboard until I rub his Buddha belly.  I hope the next president is a husky.  He'll settle the world's problems with a simple glance from those ice blue eyes.

Thanks for visiting with us Hunter and good luck on all your future endeavors!!!

Can't Wait Wednesday (111) - The One Where Booker T Teaches Mom a Lesson

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings to spotlight highly anticipated books.  It is based on the Waiting on Wednesday meme which used to be hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. 

Mom can't come to the blog right now - she's in time out.  I can't believe she featured another darn cat book last week.  I don't care if it was a vampire cat.  One of her blogger friends made a very good point about all cats being vampires and I would have to agree.  Anyway. I have found not one, not two, but THREE dog books to share with you guys.  TAKE THAT MOMMY DEAREST!  And to prove how mad I am, I even messed up her font!

FROM GOODREADS: Joal Derse Dauer was just donating blankets at a local no-kill shelter when a disabled and despondent dog caught her eye. With three "fur babies" already at home, Joal wasn't looking to adopt another dog. But there was something special about Sadie, a shepherd mix who had been shot in the head and in the back and left for dead in the hills of Kentucky after giving birth. One gaze into those sorrowful eyes and Joal vowed to do everything possible to get the pitiful creature walking again. 

The first three vets offered little hope for Sadie and two even recommended euthanasia. But with patience, hope, and plenty of love, Joal noticed a change in her canine companion. And somewhere along the difficult journey, she discovered that sweet Sadie had transformed her life in ways she never could have imagined. 

FROM GOODREADS: Richmond Rogues’ left-fielder Joe “Zoo” Zooker has his own ritual for the start of spring training—a weekend of pure pleasure, including as many pretty faces and curvaceous bodies as he can charm into his bed. After that, he’s all about baseball, especially with hungry minor leaguers eager for their own shot at the majors, just waiting for him to strike out. But when a beautiful woman with a smart mouth brushes off his flirting, he’s determined to go to bat as often as it takes to win a smile aimed only at him.  

Stevie may be new to the beach town of Barefoot William, but she’s seen plenty of charmers like hot and hunky Zoo before. Managing her aunt’s doggie daycare business, she’s up to her ears in rowdy puppies—and she doesn’t need a lifelong hound like Zoo breaking her heart. Still, there’s no denying the attraction between them, and as spring training heats up, lust suddenly begins to look a lot like love . . .

FROM GOODREADS: Eric met Peety when he was 150 pounds overweight, depressed, and sick. After a lifetime of failed diet attempts, and the onset of serious diabetes due to his weight, Eric went to a new doctor, who surprisingly prescribed a shelter dog. And that's when Eric met Peety: a middle-aged and forgotten shelter dog who, like Eric, had seen better days. The two adopted each other and began an incredible journey together, and the bond of unconditional love they formed forever changed their lives. Over the next year, just by going on walks, playing together and eating plant-based food, Eric lost 150 pounds, and Peety lost 25. As a result, Eric reversed his type 2 diabetes, got off all medication, became happy and healthy for the first time in his life, and even reconnected with and married his high school sweetheart. WALKING WITH PEETY is perfect for anyone who is ready to make a change in their life and for everyone who knows the joy, love and hope that dogs can bring to human lives. This is more than a tale of mutual rescue, this is an epic story of friendship and strength.

WHY I CAN'T WAIT:  Because I don't see a single mention of a cat in any of these books!  

PS - I'm even encouraging Cassius to take over next week and leave her in time out again.

TTT - Series I've Been Meaning to Start But Haven't Yet

This top 10 weekly meme is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish and can be found HERE.  Each week they focus on lists which cover various topics related to books and reading. 


Today I'm sharing with you series I keep meaning to start but haven't yet - aka, the story of my life :) And you're actually getting a bonus pick too!

So if I was to start all of these series, that would be 68 books on a TBR.  How sad!  Oh well, guess that's why I love to read.  What series haven't you started and can you recommend any of these.  I know Chuckles has read the Remy Chandler ones but how about anyone else???